The Penn's Grove record., 1887-11-12
THE MYSTERY OF PAIN.

CINE, with its eye and heart of fire,
careered owe the dizzy heights of lofty
vladucts like some Sentient thing,
glorying in a sense of danger.
But the speed was tame to Emily
Fowler, with that throbbing Impotence
in her veins.
Come at once; he wishes to see you
before he dies" the telegram had said.
Oh, would the train never reach the
cityp He was dying-dying under a
shadow, and she was the cause. II he
could live but a month, a week, oven a
single day longer, until her confession
should fash around the world. soaring,
as with a tongue Of flame, the SANDER
that had plucked him from his high
place among his fellowsi
at last she stood on the platform OF
the station. in the midst of the city's
gloom and car. She had a shrinking
fear Of recognition, though she had
been a stranger to her native place five
years.
She took a carriage to W street,
In the suburbs.
Within a few yards of the house she
paid the as and dismissed him, then
walked up to the gate that opened upon
the rather spacious grounds. The
hospltable old-fashioned house stood
under the shade of trees. The hall was
brightly lighted. and the windows of
The chamber where he was lying
CLEANED dimly.
She rang the bell and waited. Was
1t in some other life she lad used to
walk in there to seek counsel and SYM
pathy from him, her pastor, when his
gentle-faced sister, now dead, had met
her with warm solicitude, and when he
was sailing upon the crest Of the wave
of popularity in the full perfection of
his splendid powers.
"A quiet, middle.aged woman opened
the door.
She was his housekeeper. 'Mrs.
Fowler?" she said enquiringly. "Yes,"
In answer to the anxious inquiry in the
eyes of the unhappy lady, ''he is yet
living, and she led the way into the
dim parlor, then went upstairs to an
nounce the visitor.
How familiar the surroundings
seemed. His trouble had not uprooted
him from the spot that was his by in
heritance. He had lived here a re-
cluse since the death of his sister, with
his books and literary work. He stood
no longer at the sacred desk. He had
steadily refused the large inducements
offered him, refusing to trade on his
blackened reputation.
The ~housekeeper returned and con.
Quoted her upstairs. The nurse went
out as she entered. and the two were
left alone together for the last act of
the tragedy.
The room was large and lofty, with
dark window drapery sweeping from
the ceiling to the floor. The dark walls
were hung with polntings, among them
q King Lear wrestling in the midnight
tempest with his awful madness and
despair.
Gregory Bancroft lay there with the
tall bedstead towering above his head,
a massive Titan OF majestic soul. The
strong, grand face bore the impress of
his grief. Yet his mighty heart had
not broken. 1t had expanded with its
great throes Of sorrow until 1T was
ready TO be born into a new kingdom.
She stood beside the bed. He
reached out a hand, as II to welcome
her.
II cannot take your handl'' she cried,
"Your life has been ruined through
me. How can you for0ive?n
She was kneeling beside the bed with
clasped hands and a face of anguish,
in strong contrast to the high, almost
sublime expression of the face on the
pillow.
"How can 1 forgiven Because l
have absolved you in my thoughts" he
said. 81 knew that it was the over
mastering will of your husband that
made you the instrument of wrong to
me. l knew that you were not NOR
ally responsible for the lie wrung from
you on your sick bed. l understood
your peculiar organization far better
than you knew. / knew you could be
compelled, mesmerized by a stronger
will, in certain nervous states that rem
dered you highly susceptible"
She looked at him with a kind of dim
wonder that he had so truly interpreted
the situation.
But you did not know" she fastened
to say, ''you did not know what q cow
ard l became when l was once more
mistress Of myself and became aware
what a tissue of ~falsehoods had been
woven to ensnare you. I declared /
would speak and do my share towards
righting the wrong. He threatened to
confine me in an insane asylum. /
knew he would fulfill his threat. 1t
seemed to me at last that l was insane.
He held me under the bondage of his
will. But l will make the confession
now, though he kill me-"
Gregory Bancroft had thought him.
self above emotion, and that the high,
holy calm that had come to him after
the conflict could not again be broken
by sight of the woman he once loved.
But he had mi~scalculated his strength.
The magnificent organization that had
touched earth at SO many points-the
powerful. passionate nature was stirred
again to its depths.
She was n of those slight, seeming
ly fragile women who, with no appar-
| ant uNfapt nhvatnal charm orc yat noa-